Cervical Vertebrae - Anatomy Pictures and Information Home > Skeletal System > Spine > Cervical Vertebrae Cervical Vertebrae The cervical vertebrae of the spine consist of seven bony rings that reside in the neck between the base of the skull and the thoracic vertebrae in the trunk. Among the vertebrae of the spinal column, the cervical vertebrae are the thinnest and most delicate bones. Yet, in spite of their size, the cervical vertebrae have the huge jobs of supporting the head, protecting the spinal cord, and providing mobility to the head and neck. The cervical vertebrae are stacked along the length of the neck to form a continuous column between the skull and the chest.... Move up/down/left/right: Click compass arrows Rotate image: Click and drag in any direction, anywhere in the frame Identify objects: Click on them in the image 2D Interactive 3D Rotate & Zoom Change Anatomical System Vertebra and Spinal Cord, Cross-section Full Cervical Vertebrae Description [Continued from above] . . .

Each cervical vertebra is named by its position in order from superior (C1 or first cervical vertebra) to inferior (C7 or seventh cervical vertebra). The C1 vertebra, which holds up the skull, is named the atlas after the mythological titan Atlas who similarly held the Earth on his shoulders. Similar to the C1 vertebra, the C2 vertebra is named the axis as it provides the axis upon which the skull and atlas rotate when the head is moved side to side. Each cervical vertebra consists of a thin ring of bone, or vertebral arch, surrounding the vertebral and transverse foramina. The vertebral foramen is a large opening in the center of the vertebra that provides space for the spinal cord and its meninges as they pass through the neck. Flanking the vertebral foramen on each side are the much smaller transverse foramina. The transverse foramina surround the vertebral arteries and veins, which, along with the carotid arteries and jugular veins, have the vital job of carrying blood to and from the brain. Extending from the vertebral arch are several bony processes that are involved in muscle attachment and movement of the neck.

The spinous process extends from the posterior end of the arch and serves as a connection point for the muscles that extend the neck, such as the trapezius and spinalis muscles. On the left and right lateral sides of each vertebra is a transverse process that forms the insertion point for the muscles of the erector spinae group that extend and flex the neck. A thickened region of bone known as the body lies anterior to the vertebral foramen and forms the main bone mass in all vertebrae except for the atlas. The bodies strengthen the vertebrae and support most of the weight of the tissues of the head and neck. Intervertebral disks made of rubbery fibrocartilage lie between the vertebral bodies to provide slight flexibility to the neck. Lateral to the vertebral bodies are flattened facets that form joints with the neighboring vertebrae and skull, allowing movement among the vertebrae. The axis has a very distinct shape due to the presence of the odontoid process, a tooth-like prominence that extends from its body superiorly toward the axis. The odontoid process serves as the axis upon which the atlas rotates at the atlantoaxial joint.

Despite being some of the smallest and lightest bones in the axial skeleton, the cervical vertebrae perform many important functions that are critical to the survival of the body. Vital nerves and blood vessels passing through the neck are protected from mechanical damage by the bony arches of the cervical vertebrae. The cervical vertebrae also provide support to the head and neck, including supporting the muscles that move this region of the body. The muscles that attach to the vertebral processes provide posture to the head and neck throughout the day and have the greatest endurance of all of the body’s muscles. Finally, the many joints formed between the skull and cervical vertebrae provide incredible flexibility that allows the head and neck to rotate, flex, and extend. Prepared by Tim Taylor, Anatomy and Physiology Instructor Atlas Anatomy, C1 Cervical Vertebrae Diagram & Function | Body Maps Your message has been sent. OK We're sorry, an error occurred. We are unable to collect your feedback at this time. However, your feedback is important to us. Please try again later.

Close Atlas The vertebral column, or spinal column, is made up of a total of 33 vertebrae, which are subdivided into five regions: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccyx. At the cervical region the spinal column is further classified into an upper and lower cervical region. The atlas is one of the two upper cervical vertebrae, also known as C1, which is the topmost vertebra of the spinal column. It is the vertebra that is in contact with the occipital bone, a flat bone located at the back portion of the head. This first cervical bone is named from the mythical Greek god who carried the world on his shoulders, as its function is to support the globe of the head. Together with the second vertebra, the axis, it is responsible for the wide range of motion of the head. The atlas does not look like a typical vertebra, with its ring-like structure and the absence of a body, which is actually fused to the axis. Other anatomical landmarks on the atlas include the anterior arch and tubercle, posterior arch and tubercle, vertebral notches, facets, and transverse processes.

Spine - Anatomy Pictures and Information Home > Skeletal System > Spine Spine Stretching down the midline of the trunk from the base of the skull to the coccyx, the spine plays an extremely important role in our bodies as it supports the upper body’s weight; provides posture while allowing for movement and flexibility; and protects the spinal cord. The spine, also known as the vertebral column or spinal column, is a column of 26 bones in an adult body – 24 separate vertebrae interspaced with cartilage, and then additionally the sacrum and coccyx.... Move up/down/left/right: Click compass arrows Rotate image: Click and drag in any direction, anywhere in the frame Identify objects: Click on them in the image Vertebra and Spinal Cord, Cross-section Full Spine Description [Continued from above] . . . Prior to adolescence, the spine consists of 33 bones because the sacrum’s five bones and the coccyx’s four do not fuse together until adolescence. The vertebrae are named by the first letter of their region (cervical, thoracic, or lumbar) and with a number to indicate their position along the superior-inferior axis.

For example, the fifth lumbar vertebra (which is most inferior one, located beneath the fourth lumbar vertebra) is called the L5 vertebra. Each vertebra has several important parts: the body, vertebral foramen, spinous process, and transverse process. The body is the main weight-bearing region of a vertebra, making up the bulk of the bone’s mass. Extending from the body, the transverse processes are thin columns of bone that point out to the left and right sides of the body. The spinous process extends from the ends of the transverse processes in the posterior direction. Between the body, transverse processes and spinous process is the vertebral foramen, a hollow space that contains the spinal cord and meninges. Between the vertebrae of the spine are thin regions of cartilage known as the intervertebral discs. Intervertebral discs are made of an outer shell known as the annulus fibrosus and a soft, pulpy region known as the nucleus pulposus in the middle. The annulus fibrosus is made of tough fibrocartilage that binds the vertebrae together but is flexible enough to allow for our movements.

The inner nucleus pulposus acts as a shock absorber to support the body’s weight and prevent the vertebrae from painfully crashing into each other while under strain. The vertebrae of the spine align so that their vertebral canals form a hollow, bony tube to protect the spinal cord from external damage and infection. Between the vertebrae are small spaces known as intervertebral canals that allow spinal nerves to exit the spinal cord and connect to the various regions of the body. There are 5 major regions of the spine: Cervical: The 7 vertebrae in the neck form the cervical region of the spine. Cervical vertebrae are the thinnest and most delicate vertebrae in the spine but offer great flexibility to the neck. The first cervical vertebra, C1, supports the skull and is named “atlas” after the Greek titan who held the Earth on his shoulders. The skull pivots on the atlas when moving up and down. The second cervical vertebra, C2, is also known as the “axis” because it allows the skull and atlas to rotate to the left and right.

Thoracic: The 12 vertebrae in the chest region form the spine’s thoracic region. Thoracic vertebrae are larger and stronger than cervical vertebrae but are much less flexible. The spinous processes of the thoracic vertebrae point inferiorly to help lock the vertebrae together. A unique feature of the thoracic vertebrae is that each one forms joints with a pair of ribs to form the sturdy rib cage that protects the organs of the chest. Lumbar: The 5 vertebrae in the lower back form the lumbar region of the spine. Lumbar vertebrae are even larger and stronger than thoracic vertebrae, but are more flexible due to the lack of ribs in the lumbar region. All of the upper body’s weight bears down on the lumbar vertebrae, leading to many back problems in this region despite the size and strength of the vertebrae. Sacral: The sacral region of the spine contains only the sacrum, a single bone in the adult skeleton that is formed by the fusion of 5 smaller vertebrae during adolescence. The sacrum is a flat, triangular bone found in the lower back and wedged between the 2 hip bones.

Coccygeal: The spine’s coccygeal region contains only the coccyx, a single bone in the adult skeleton that is formed by the fusion of 4 tiny vertebrae during adolescence. The coccyx is often referred to as the human tailbone, as this region is homologous to the tail bones of animals that have tails. In humans, the coccyx bears our body weight when sitting down and provides attachment points for muscles of the pelvic and gluteal regions. While most people have a coccyx made of 4 fused vertebrae, the coccyx may consist of as few as 3 or as many as 5 vertebrae. The length of the coccyx has no effect on the body’s function. Prepared by Tim Taylor, Anatomy and Physiology Instructor First cervical vertebra | definition of First cervical vertebra by Medical dictionary First cervical vertebra | definition of First cervical vertebra by Medical dictionary Related to First cervical vertebra: Second cervical vertebra atlas [at´las] the first cervical vertebra , the uppermost segment of the vertebral column, which supports the skull. Atlas. (A), (top) superior aspect; (bottom) transverse aspect.

Note the absence of the body and spinous process. (B), position. From Dorland's, 2000. at·las (at'las), [TA] [G. Atlas, in Greek mythology, a Titan who supported the heavens on his shoulders] atlas /at·las/ (at´las) the first cervical vertebra. Atlas. (A), (Top) superior aspect; (bottom) transverse aspect. Note the absence of the body and spinous process. (B), Position. atlas Anatomy The top or first cervical vertebra of the neck, which supports the skull. atlas Etymology: Gk, atlas, to bear, a mythical giant, compelled to uphold the world the first cervical vertebra, articulating with the occipital bone and the axis. ATLAS Cardiology (1) Assessment of Treatment with Lisinopril and Survival. A trial comparing the effects of high to low doses of Zestril®/lisinopril on morbidity and mortality (M&M) in patients with CHF. Randomised, double-blind, parallel-group; 3164 patients. Combined risk of mortality and hospitalisation was 12% lower in the high-dose group.

(2) Acolysis during Treatment of Lesions Affecting Saphenous Vein Bypass Grafts. A trial evaluating the use of percutaneous CUT for managing thrombosed coronary SVGs. Primary endpoint Composite (minimum) lumen diameter <30%, TIMI-3 flow, 30-day freedom from MACE; was achieved in 54% of CUT patients vs 73% of abciximab patients. Randomised, controlled, multicentre; 191 patients (92 CUT, 89 abciximab followed by PCI). CUT should not be used during PCI of thrombosed SVGs. Oncology Adjuvant Tamoxifen Longer Against Shorter. A trial that asked the optimal duration of adjuvant tamoxifen (a SERM) therapy in women with early breast CA. Sports medicine Athletes’ Training and Learning to Avoid Anabolic Steroids. A multi-component school-based program for male high school athletes (age 13 to 19), which capitalises on team-centred dynamics and uses positive peer pressure and role modelling to reduce the use of anabolic steroids, alcohol and other drugs. A highly scripted 10-session curriculum.

Results New substance use and anabolic steroid use decreased by 50%; drinking and driving decreased by 25%; decreased use of drugs, alcohol and performance-enhancing agents; increased exercise and nutrition. ATLAS Cardiology A five-yr, randomized, double-blind trial–Assessment of Treatment with Lisinopril & Survival–which evaluated the effect of high vs low doses of Zestril®/lisinopril on M&M in Pts with CHF; high doses appear to be effective. See Lisinopril Sports medicine A 5-yr controlled trial–Athletes' Training and Learning to Avoid Anabolic Steroids begun in 1993 and funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse. See Anabolic steroids. at·las (at'lăs) [TA] 7 Vertebra, 7 Chakras and 7 Connections More | Broaden Your Horizons 7 Vertebra, 7 Chakras and 7 Connections More / valgoodman Anatomically, virtually all mammals, including us humans, have 7 cervical vertebrae. They are numbered C-1 through C-7 with C-1 being the first one at the base of skull.

C-1 is called the Atlas vertebrae and C-2 is the axis. The Atlas is named after the mythological Titan who held the Earth on his shoulders. Atlas is able to shift balance on the axis. Clarified, C-1 enables you to shake your head ‘yes’ and C-2 turns the head to say no. These vertebrae hold your head up high, which averages 10 pounds, and is essential in transmitting information to the body. These 7 vertebrae are some of the smallest and lightest bones in the entire skeleton; yet, perform some of the most critical functions. Might add some merit to feeling like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders when stressed. We are not alone. Dogs, lions, giraffes, and practically every other mammal has 7 cervical vertebrae. They’ve got their own world to survive and thrive in. Dog eat dog world means more. Giraffe have 7 cervical vertebrae; but, get this…each one can be 10 inches long! Is there a reason all mammals have 7 cervical vertebrae? Before, I share what I discovered, let’s review the other 5.

C-1 and 2 control the head and neck. C-3 directly impacts the diaphragm. Wow. The muscle making breathing possible linked to a vertebrae in the neck. C-4 impacts upper body muscles like the biceps and deltoids. C-5 and 6 affect the wrists. C-7 directly linked to bladder and bowel control. The first four vertebrae hold the most impact if damaged. The lower you go in the spine, the less debilitating the consequences of damage. Totally not implying injury to any vertebrae is not detrimental. But, some serious thought went into the design of the spine. Seems like injury to the parts higher up is more difficult because the consequences are most detrimental. Between each vertebrae is a disc. Discs are a complex criss-cross of fibrous (strong) bands of connective tissue. Connective tissue is designed not to be flexible for a reason. It keeps parts in place. Inside those discs is a gel-like fluid for cushion. Know how you love laying your head softly on a pillow at night and feel the ease of resting on it? Your vertebrae need their pillow too.

At night, while you sleep, fluid is absorbed from your bones (vertebrae) to re-fill the discs. As you go about your day standing, the fluid is slowly pressed back into the bone. If you have herniated discs or bulging discs, that’s a whole other story. The back vs. the anterior core should be your chief focus. Your back muscles stabilize your spine. You have muscles going horizontally, vertically and diagonally layer by layer. These muscles maintain your posture. A strong back wrapped with stable muscles provides the posture to lift up the anterior core. The muscles in your neck from C-1 to C-7 have the greatest endurance of all the body’s muscles. We all have a piece of Titan in us. Yoga moves each vertebrae…each muscle you’re ready to discover…the nerves inside the spine…the energy contained in the body’s cells and beyond the skin. Amazing exchange of information rapidly flowing up and down your spinal column. Moves, thoughts, emotions, breathing, hormones, and a constant restructuring of the body to adapt to your posture is taking place. Habitual bad posture directly affects the organs’ ability to function fully. Everything needs space. Sit up straighter and notice the immediate internal lift.

You’ve got the backbone…use it. Studying the 7 cervical vertebrae mysteriously drew me to learn more about the enigmatic number 7. Seven is and has been universally deemed special for thousands of years. In ancient times, before the telescope, man could see 7 major creations in the sky…the sun, moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter. Ancient Romans and Egyptians had 7 gods. The Earth in the Bible was created in six days with one day of rest. The Japanese have 7 lucky gods of fortune. The Arabs have 7 holy temples. The Jewish tradition of mourning is sitting shiva (seven) for seven days. Atlas, the Titan with the world on his shoulders had seven daughters…called The Seven Sisters. There are 7 wonders of the world. 7 notes in the musical scale. 7 continents. 7 seas. 7 colors of the rainbow. 7 days of the week. 7 principle energy levels. 7 directions…left, right, forward, backward, up, down, center. 7 main stars in the Big Dipper. Coincidence? Elusive message? Being creatures of adaptation and collective consciousness, we added to the list of 7’s.

A maximum of 7 playoff games in professional NHL, MLB and NBA games. 7 (3 in a row) on the slot machine hits the jackpot…ka-ching! 3 seven’s make blackjack. 7 dwarfs in Snow White. And, get this…The Roman numeral VII in ancient times stood for white dwarfs in the sky. Did Walt Disney and the writers of this classic know this sliver of knowledge when picking Snow White’s dwarfs? And, is that why her name is Snow White? Yogis focus on 7 chakras. In the Hebrew, the seventh letter is zayin…the numerical equivalent of the letter is 7 and the name zayin means crown. The 7th chakra is the crown linking us to a Higher Source. Each chakra is unique in its purpose and energy. Mix and match and you create, strengthen or broaden perceptions. Just like the 7 notes of the musical scale, there is an infinite and beautiful complexity of overlapping and merging exponentially. There’s something psychologically alluring in not completely understanding something. It leaves space for you to discover more beyond your original intention.

And, if you’re humble…you know…really know…you’re life is a continuous process of scratching the surface of the enigmatic iceberg of knowledge. That is true wisdom. I’m feeling lucky I felt compelled to study and write about the first 7 vertebrae. The pull of number 7 guided me to click on different links. Might be time to go to Vegas…I’ll be sure to do 7 Sun Salutations before I hit the slots:) Rate this: First cervical vertebra | Article about First cervical vertebra by The Free Dictionary First cervical vertebra | Article about First cervical vertebra by The Free Dictionary Related to First cervical vertebra: Second cervical vertebra Atlas (ăt`ləs), in Greek mythology, a Titan Titan, in Greek religion and mythology, one of 12 primeval deities. The female Titan is also called Titaness. The Titans—six sons and six daughters—were the children of Uranus and Gaea. ..... Click the link for more information. ; son of Iapetus and Clymene and the brother of Prometheus. When the Titans were defeated, Atlas was condemned to hold the sky on his shoulders for all eternity—a mythical explanation of why the sky does not fall.

Hercules shouldered the burden in exchange for Atlas fetching him the apples of the Hesperides. He is identified with the Atlas mountains in NW Africa. He was the father of Calliope and the Pleiades. Atlas, in astronomy, one of the named moons, or natural satellites, of Saturn Saturn, in astronomy, 6th planet from the sun. Astronomical and Physical Characteristics of Saturn Saturn's orbit lies between those of Jupiter and Uranus; its mean distance from the sun is c.886 million mi (1. ..... Click the link for more information. . Also known as Saturn XV (or S15), Atlas is a small, irregularly shaped (nonspherical) body measuring about 25 mi (40 km) by 12.5 mi (20 km); it orbits Saturn at a mean distance of 85,544 mi (137,670 km), and has an orbital period of 0.6019 earth days—the rotational period is unknown but is assumed to be the same as the orbital period. Atlas was discovered by Richard J.

Terrile in 1980 from photographs taken by Voyager 1 during its flyby of Saturn. Atlas is probably a shepherd satellite (a moon that limits the extent of a planetary ring through gravitational forces) of Saturn's A ring. atlas, in geography, collection of maps or charts. It usually includes data on various features of a country, e.g., its topography, natural resources, climate, and population, as well as its agriculture and main industries. In astronomy, a star atlas is a collection of maps or photographs covering much or all of the celestial sphere and showing the locations of stars and other objects. Although the first known atlas was compiled by the Greek geographer Ptolemy in the 2d cent. A.D., its modern form was introduced in 1570 with the publication of Theatrum orbis terrarum by the Flemish geographer Abraham Ortelius. In 1595 his close friend Gerardus Mercator published Atlas sive cosmographicae. Its frontispiece was a figure of the titan Atlas holding a globe on his shoulders. The name Atlas subsequently came to be applied to volumes of maps and information in this format. Atlas 1.

A small satellite of Saturn, discovered in 1980. It is the shepherd satellite for Saturn's A ring. See Saturn's rings ; Table 2, backmatter. 2. See Pleiades . Atlas A figure of a man used in place of a column to support an entablature; also called Atlantes and Telemon. Atlas (pop culture) Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy, the first anime (Japanese animation) hero to appear on American television in 1963, has had quite the rogues' gallery of villains. Despite going up against dozens of villains, the cute little boy robot found Atlas a particularly troublesome foe. The super-robot first appeared in Tezuka's Tetsuwan Atom (the original Japanese title for Astro Boy) manga in March 1956 during Astro's serialization in Shonen magazine. A tall, barrel-chested robot with super-strength and the ability to fly, Atlas was created by the scientist Dr. Ran to take revenge on the human race. Atlas was fitted with the “Omega Factor,” a device that gave him the ability to be evil.

His attempt to destroy a village with a lava flow from an erupting volcano was halted by Astro, but Ran sent Atlas out to rob a bank while wearing a false Astro head, thus causing Astro a whole lot of trouble! Atlas would eventually turn on Ran, but he was destroyed following a fierce battle with Astro. Atlas returned in the 1980 Astro Boy series, but with a different look and origin; originally a boy robot like Astro, he used to commit crimes but was destroyed, only to be rebuilt as a tall, bronzed robot, equipped with a robot horse and a “lightning saber.” He also had the Omega Factor, which gave him a conscience, although he was still evil. His companion, the beautiful female robot Livian, was not evil—and even leaked information on Atlas and his plans to Astro. She would discover the truth that Atlas and Astro were created from the same plans, making them essentially brothers. In the 2003 Astro Boy series, Atlas again returned, and in a new form. This time, he was a robot created to replace Daichi, the deceased son of a millionaire. But he became rebellious, and he lacked Astro's ability to feel compassion.

He was destroyed during his second confrontation with Astro, but not before saving his father's life. Atlas a mountainous area in northwestern Africa. It stretches east from the Atlantic Ocean along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea for nearly 2,000 km, passing through Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. It constitutes a separate natural region of Africa, with sharply contrasting landscapes because of its mountainous relief, its different exposures and climates, and its location at the juncture of subtropical and tropical geographic belts. The Atlas attains its greatest elevation in Morocco, in the El Rif, Middle, and High Atlas ranges (Mount Toubkal, 4,165 m, the highest peak of the Atlas). To the west of its highest section, the Moroccan meseta descends by degrees from altitudes of 1,000–800 m. The Tell Atlas extends to the east, along the Mediterranean coast; the Saharan Atlas— elevations 1,200–1,500 m—stretches along the southern outskirts. The Oran-Algiers plain lies between these two ranges at elevations of 1,000–1,200 m.

Spurs of the northern and southern ranges divide them into separated hollows with large salt lakes—sebkhas (Chott ech Chergui, for example). In the east, the northern and southern ranges run together and are separated by a band of meridional foothills from the coastal depression of Tunisia. The northern coastal part of the Atlas constitutes an alpine folded structure; it has outcrops in the core (Kabyle massifs) of ancient (Precambrian) metamorphic formations with a sheath of shallow Paleozoic and Carbonaceous Triassic and Jurassic. However, Cretaceous-Paleocene deposits—flysch, to a considerable extent—play the primary role in the structure of this zone: they form a system of tectonic sheaths, dislocated from north to south and partially overlapping the forward downwarp (pre-Rif, pre-Tell) realized by the molasse Miocene. In the structure of the Atlas further south, a layer of geosynclinal Paleozoic, which experienced intensive Her-zinian tectogenesis, played a significant role in the west (the Moroccan meseta).

Further east in this same belt (the zone of the Hauts Plateaux, including the Oran meseta) relatively thin, weakly deformed shallow marine deposits of the Cretaceous and Paleocene and continental deposits of the Neocene are found on a more ancient, probably Late Precambrian foundation. Still further south, in the zone of the High and Saharan Atlas, and also in the Middle Atlas, the thickness of the Mesozoic grows and its folding increases perceptibly. In the extreme east (in Tunisia) the fold structure is to a considerable extent determined by highly plastic, salt-bearing rocks of the Triassic. In the south, the Atlas is separated by a great break (the South Atlas Break) from the African platform. Another break with a subsidence of the central part of the Atlas structure passes along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea; manifestations of recent volcanism and earthquake activity are connected with it. Deposits of iron ore and polymetals are known in the Atlas.

Variegated lithology, fluctuations of climate in the Pleistocene, and contemporary climatic differences are the bases of the diversity of exogenous forms of the relief of the Atlas: on the highest peaks, traces of ancient glaciation have survived (peaks, cirques, glacial troughs, and moraines); chains have dense, deep ancient erosional dissection. Interior regions are occupied by denuded and accumulated plains, cues-tian chains, and residual plateaus. In the south, the slopes of the mountains are covered with gravelly screes, and physical weathering proceeds actively. Karst is extensively developed in regions of widespread limestone rocks. The climate is subtropical Mediterranean in the north and semidesert in other regions. Precipitation falls primarily in autumn and winter with the passage of polar-front cyclones over the Mediterranean Sea. The greatest quantity of precipitation (1,000–1,800 mm per year) falls on the slopes of northern and western exposure in the Tell Atlas east of 2° E long and in the High Atlas at elevations of 2,000–2,500 m.

Most of the Atlas Range receives 400–600 mm of precipitation; southern regions receive 300 mm and less per year. In the lower belt of the mountains, the average January temperature is 10–12° C in the north and 4–6° C in interior regions. Snow lies on the ground four to five months at altitudes of 1,500 m in the mountains. Summers are dry and hot. The average July temperature is approximately 25° C; the absolute maximum is 40° C on the interior plains and 49° C in the south. The rivers of the Atlas—called wadis—are fed primarily by rains. Floods occur in the winter; in the summer, almost all the rivers dry up. The deepest rivers are of the Atlantic Ocean basins (Oum er Rbia, Sebou) and the Mediterranean Sea (Moulouya, Chéliff). In the rainy season, their discharge increases to several hundreds and thousands of cubic meters per second. Wadis of the internal and southern regions have occasional flow.

The soil and vegetative cover of the Atlas reflects its location in two physical-geographic zones: in the north and west, on the coast, and in the mountains up to 800 m, landscapes of the zone of arid forests and scrubs of typically Mediterranean climates are prevalent. Thickets of evergreen hard-leaf scrub (maquis) are similar in their flora to those of southern Europe. Forests are composed primarily of cork oak on brown soils. In arid interior regions and in the south, in the subtropical semidesert zone, there is sparse grassy vegetation (feather grass, alfa), wormwood scrub, and esparto on grey-brown, extremely gravelly soils. Altitudinal zonation is displayed in the mountains. It is most fully developed in El Rif and the Tell Atlas, on windward slopes: the belt of evergreen forests made up of cork and stone oak reaches up to 1,200 m; the belt of mixed forests with evergreen, summer-green, broad-leaf (oaks, maples) and coniferous trees ends at 1,700 m.

The belt of coniferous forests (primarily composed of Atlas cedar), which supply valuable building lumber, is located in the coolest and most humid climate up to 2,200 m. Mountain brown-leached and, primarily, brown forest soils are developed under the forests. There are patches of mountain-meadow and mountain-steppe vegetation and soils on the peaks. Animal life has been greatly depleted over a long period of time. There are representatives both of African and of some European animals (hares). Monkeys have survived in the north; there are jackals everywhere; and in the south there are hyenas and some hoofed animals. There are many migratory birds. Reptiles are particularly numerous. The landscapes of the Atlas have been modified greatly by man. Natural vegetation has been reduced in northern areas; large tracts of cultivated lands are concentrated in the river valleys (grains, citrus fruits, grapes, and vegetables are cultivated). The reduction of forests has brought much soil erosion. Primitive terraced irrigated agriculture, and nomadic and seminomadic livestock raising (primarily goats and sheep) are found in the valleys of the southern sections. REFERENCES Bernard, O. Severnaia i Zapadnaia Afrika.

Moscow, 1949. (Translated from French.) Gornung, M. B. Alzhiriia. Moscow, 1958. Birot, P., and J. Dreche. Sredizemnomor’e, vol. 1. Moscow, 1960. (Translated from French.) Atlas the name of a series of American launch vehicles used as the first two stages of the Atlas interplanetary ballistic rocket. The initial mass is between 125 and 135 tons, and the overall length is between 31 and 36 m. The first stage has three liquid-propellant rocket engines having a total thrust of 1.6 meganewtons (163 tons) fueled with liquid oxygen and kerosene. In the Atlas-Agena version the third stage is an Agena-D. In the Atlas-Centaur the third stage is a Centaur. The payload mass placed into a low satellite orbit around the earth ranges from 2.2 to 4.5 tons for the different versions.

The Atlas is used to launch the satellites Midas and Samos, secret satellites, and the unmanned interplanetary stations Ranger, Mariner, and others. atlas Vertebra C1 | Article about vertebra C1 by The Free Dictionary Vertebra C1 | Article about vertebra C1 by The Free Dictionary Related to vertebra C1: Cervical vertebrae , Cervical vertebræ Atlas (ăt`ləs), in Greek mythology, a Titan Titan, in Greek religion and mythology, one of 12 primeval deities. The female Titan is also called Titaness. The Titans—six sons and six daughters—were the children of Uranus and Gaea. ..... Click the link for more information. ; son of Iapetus and Clymene and the brother of Prometheus. When the Titans were defeated, Atlas was condemned to hold the sky on his shoulders for all eternity—a mythical explanation of why the sky does not fall. Hercules shouldered the burden in exchange for Atlas fetching him the apples of the Hesperides. He is identified with the Atlas mountains in NW Africa. He was the father of Calliope and the Pleiades.

Atlas, in astronomy, one of the named moons, or natural satellites, of Saturn Saturn, in astronomy, 6th planet from the sun. Astronomical and Physical Characteristics of Saturn Saturn's orbit lies between those of Jupiter and Uranus; its mean distance from the sun is c.886 million mi (1. ..... Click the link for more information. . Also known as Saturn XV (or S15), Atlas is a small, irregularly shaped (nonspherical) body measuring about 25 mi (40 km) by 12.5 mi (20 km); it orbits Saturn at a mean distance of 85,544 mi (137,670 km), and has an orbital period of 0.6019 earth days—the rotational period is unknown but is assumed to be the same as the orbital period. Atlas was discovered by Richard J. Terrile in 1980 from photographs taken by Voyager 1 during its flyby of Saturn. Atlas is probably a shepherd satellite (a moon that limits the extent of a planetary ring through gravitational forces) of Saturn's A ring. atlas, in geography, collection of maps or charts.

It usually includes data on various features of a country, e.g., its topography, natural resources, climate, and population, as well as its agriculture and main industries. In astronomy, a star atlas is a collection of maps or photographs covering much or all of the celestial sphere and showing the locations of stars and other objects. Although the first known atlas was compiled by the Greek geographer Ptolemy in the 2d cent. A.D., its modern form was introduced in 1570 with the publication of Theatrum orbis terrarum by the Flemish geographer Abraham Ortelius. In 1595 his close friend Gerardus Mercator published Atlas sive cosmographicae. Its frontispiece was a figure of the titan Atlas holding a globe on his shoulders. The name Atlas subsequently came to be applied to volumes of maps and information in this format. Atlas 1. A small satellite of Saturn, discovered in 1980. It is the shepherd satellite for Saturn's A ring. See Saturn's rings ; Table 2, backmatter. 2. See Pleiades .

Atlas A figure of a man used in place of a column to support an entablature; also called Atlantes and Telemon. Atlas (pop culture) Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy, the first anime (Japanese animation) hero to appear on American television in 1963, has had quite the rogues' gallery of villains. Despite going up against dozens of villains, the cute little boy robot found Atlas a particularly troublesome foe. The super-robot first appeared in Tezuka's Tetsuwan Atom (the original Japanese title for Astro Boy) manga in March 1956 during Astro's serialization in Shonen magazine. A tall, barrel-chested robot with super-strength and the ability to fly, Atlas was created by the scientist Dr. Ran to take revenge on the human race. Atlas was fitted with the “Omega Factor,” a device that gave him the ability to be evil. His attempt to destroy a village with a lava flow from an erupting volcano was halted by Astro, but Ran sent Atlas out to rob a bank while wearing a false Astro head, thus causing Astro a whole lot of trouble! Atlas would eventually turn on Ran, but he was destroyed following a fierce battle with Astro.

Atlas returned in the 1980 Astro Boy series, but with a different look and origin; originally a boy robot like Astro, he used to commit crimes but was destroyed, only to be rebuilt as a tall, bronzed robot, equipped with a robot horse and a “lightning saber.” He also had the Omega Factor, which gave him a conscience, although he was still evil. His companion, the beautiful female robot Livian, was not evil—and even leaked information on Atlas and his plans to Astro. She would discover the truth that Atlas and Astro were created from the same plans, making them essentially brothers. In the 2003 Astro Boy series, Atlas again returned, and in a new form. This time, he was a robot created to replace Daichi, the deceased son of a millionaire. But he became rebellious, and he lacked Astro's ability to feel compassion. He was destroyed during his second confrontation with Astro, but not before saving his father's life. Atlas a mountainous area in northwestern Africa. It stretches east from the Atlantic Ocean along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea for nearly 2,000 km, passing through Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.

It constitutes a separate natural region of Africa, with sharply contrasting landscapes because of its mountainous relief, its different exposures and climates, and its location at the juncture of subtropical and tropical geographic belts. The Atlas attains its greatest elevation in Morocco, in the El Rif, Middle, and High Atlas ranges (Mount Toubkal, 4,165 m, the highest peak of the Atlas). To the west of its highest section, the Moroccan meseta descends by degrees from altitudes of 1,000–800 m. The Tell Atlas extends to the east, along the Mediterranean coast; the Saharan Atlas— elevations 1,200–1,500 m—stretches along the southern outskirts. The Oran-Algiers plain lies between these two ranges at elevations of 1,000–1,200 m. Spurs of the northern and southern ranges divide them into separated hollows with large salt lakes—sebkhas (Chott ech Chergui, for example). In the east, the northern and southern ranges run together and are separated by a band of meridional foothills from the coastal depression of Tunisia.

The northern coastal part of the Atlas constitutes an alpine folded structure; it has outcrops in the core (Kabyle massifs) of ancient (Precambrian) metamorphic formations with a sheath of shallow Paleozoic and Carbonaceous Triassic and Jurassic. However, Cretaceous-Paleocene deposits—flysch, to a considerable extent—play the primary role in the structure of this zone: they form a system of tectonic sheaths, dislocated from north to south and partially overlapping the forward downwarp (pre-Rif, pre-Tell) realized by the molasse Miocene. In the structure of the Atlas further south, a layer of geosynclinal Paleozoic, which experienced intensive Her-zinian tectogenesis, played a significant role in the west (the Moroccan meseta). Further east in this same belt (the zone of the Hauts Plateaux, including the Oran meseta) relatively thin, weakly deformed shallow marine deposits of the Cretaceous and Paleocene and continental deposits of the Neocene are found on a more ancient, probably Late Precambrian foundation.

Still further south, in the zone of the High and Saharan Atlas, and also in the Middle Atlas, the thickness of the Mesozoic grows and its folding increases perceptibly. In the extreme east (in Tunisia) the fold structure is to a considerable extent determined by highly plastic, salt-bearing rocks of the Triassic. In the south, the Atlas is separated by a great break (the South Atlas Break) from the African platform. Another break with a subsidence of the central part of the Atlas structure passes along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea; manifestations of recent volcanism and earthquake activity are connected with it. Deposits of iron ore and polymetals are known in the Atlas. Variegated lithology, fluctuations of climate in the Pleistocene, and contemporary climatic differences are the bases of the diversity of exogenous forms of the relief of the Atlas: on the highest peaks, traces of ancient glaciation have survived (peaks, cirques, glacial troughs, and moraines); chains have dense, deep ancient erosional dissection. Interior regions are occupied by denuded and accumulated plains, cues-tian chains, and residual plateaus.

In the south, the slopes of the mountains are covered with gravelly screes, and physical weathering proceeds actively. Karst is extensively developed in regions of widespread limestone rocks. The climate is subtropical Mediterranean in the north and semidesert in other regions. Precipitation falls primarily in autumn and winter with the passage of polar-front cyclones over the Mediterranean Sea. The greatest quantity of precipitation (1,000–1,800 mm per year) falls on the slopes of northern and western exposure in the Tell Atlas east of 2° E long and in the High Atlas at elevations of 2,000–2,500 m. Most of the Atlas Range receives 400–600 mm of precipitation; southern regions receive 300 mm and less per year. In the lower belt of the mountains, the average January temperature is 10–12° C in the north and 4–6° C in interior regions. Snow lies on the ground four to five months at altitudes of 1,500 m in the mountains. Summers are dry and hot.

The average July temperature is approximately 25° C; the absolute maximum is 40° C on the interior plains and 49° C in the south. The rivers of the Atlas—called wadis—are fed primarily by rains. Floods occur in the winter; in the summer, almost all the rivers dry up. The deepest rivers are of the Atlantic Ocean basins (Oum er Rbia, Sebou) and the Mediterranean Sea (Moulouya, Chéliff). In the rainy season, their discharge increases to several hundreds and thousands of cubic meters per second. Wadis of the internal and southern regions have occasional flow. The soil and vegetative cover of the Atlas reflects its location in two physical-geographic zones: in the north and west, on the coast, and in the mountains up to 800 m, landscapes of the zone of arid forests and scrubs of typically Mediterranean climates are prevalent. Thickets of evergreen hard-leaf scrub (maquis) are similar in their flora to those of southern Europe. Forests are composed primarily of cork oak on brown soils.

In arid interior regions and in the south, in the subtropical semidesert zone, there is sparse grassy vegetation (feather grass, alfa), wormwood scrub, and esparto on grey-brown, extremely gravelly soils. Altitudinal zonation is displayed in the mountains. It is most fully developed in El Rif and the Tell Atlas, on windward slopes: the belt of evergreen forests made up of cork and stone oak reaches up to 1,200 m; the belt of mixed forests with evergreen, summer-green, broad-leaf (oaks, maples) and coniferous trees ends at 1,700 m. The belt of coniferous forests (primarily composed of Atlas cedar), which supply valuable building lumber, is located in the coolest and most humid climate up to 2,200 m. Mountain brown-leached and, primarily, brown forest soils are developed under the forests. There are patches of mountain-meadow and mountain-steppe vegetation and soils on the peaks. Animal life has been greatly depleted over a long period of time. There are representatives both of African and of some European animals (hares).

Monkeys have survived in the north; there are jackals everywhere; and in the south there are hyenas and some hoofed animals. There are many migratory birds. Reptiles are particularly numerous. The landscapes of the Atlas have been modified greatly by man. Natural vegetation has been reduced in northern areas; large tracts of cultivated lands are concentrated in the river valleys (grains, citrus fruits, grapes, and vegetables are cultivated). The reduction of forests has brought much soil erosion. Primitive terraced irrigated agriculture, and nomadic and seminomadic livestock raising (primarily goats and sheep) are found in the valleys of the southern sections. REFERENCES Bernard, O. Severnaia i Zapadnaia Afrika. Moscow, 1949. (Translated from French.) Gornung, M. B. Alzhiriia. Moscow, 1958. Birot, P., and J. Dreche. Sredizemnomor’e, vol. 1. Moscow, 1960. (Translated from French.) Atlas the name of a series of American launch vehicles used as the first two stages of the Atlas interplanetary ballistic rocket.

The initial mass is between 125 and 135 tons, and the overall length is between 31 and 36 m. The first stage has three liquid-propellant rocket engines having a total thrust of 1.6 meganewtons (163 tons) fueled with liquid oxygen and kerosene. In the Atlas-Agena version the third stage is an Agena-D. In the Atlas-Centaur the third stage is a Centaur. The payload mass placed into a low satellite orbit around the earth ranges from 2.2 to 4.5 tons for the different versions. The Atlas is used to launch the satellites Midas and Samos, secret satellites, and the unmanned interplanetary stations Ranger, Mariner, and others. atlas

Question: Which mythical Titan shares his name with the first cervical vertebrae in humans?
Answer: ATLAS